not the first. but the second one was pretty good. risky deal on my part. i was out there in the middlefield covering it. it was tough. >> eric: quick thought. heritage founder leader, a good pick. >> dana: i think so, too. great one more thing. it's been outrage how greg has treated me on this show. i am going to report him to human resources as soon as we leave. >> eric: leave it there. thank you for watching. >> dana: adios! >> bret: the elephant in the room, as we stand on the essential of the fiscal cliff. what the president does not want to talk about. plus senator jim demint is here to tell you why he is leighing the senate. this is "special report." this is "special report." ♪ ♪ good evening >> good evening. i'm bret baier.

much of the public debate focuses on taxes. democrat want to raise them on high earners. republicans don't. but there is another part of the equation that gets less attention. that is spending cuts. chief white house correspondent ed henry looks in to that tonight. >> reporter: pulling on the heart strings as if he were back on the campaign trail, president obama visited middle class family in virginia. >> a couple of thousand dollars means a couple months' rent for this family. >> once again, he was trying to frame the battle oaf the fiscal cliff as being all about taxes. with no mention of spending cuts. >> i'm not going to sign any package that somehow prevents the top rates from going up for folks at the top 2%. but i do remain optimistic that we can get something done that is good for families like this one. that is good for the american economy.

>> republicans believe the reason the president is going light on spending cuts and demanding the budget deal include another increase in the nation's debt ceiling is clear. >> this isn't about getting a handle on the deficits or debt for him. it's about spending even more than he already has. >> white house aides reject republican claims that holding the debt limit over the president head is the only mechanism to get him to trim spending. >> you are going to keep the debt limit goes higher and you're spending money. you and congress. >> president signed in law, $1 trillion in spending cuts. there is a specific proposal to achieve $600 billion in savings from our entitlement programs. including our healthcare entitlement program. jay carney went so far to compare republican pressure on debt creeling to hostage taking. >> this is a profoundly bad idea that i think could not be more frightening for american businesses. and american workers. >> of course, treasury secretary geithner it go may

have also frightened people yesterday. by telling cnbc the white house is prepared to go off the fiscal cliff, unless the republicans bend on taxes. comment by former democratic presidential candidate howard dean frightened republics that this debate is not just about raising taxes on the rich. >> the truth is, even needs to pay more taxes. not just the rich. that is a good start. we are not getting out of the deficit problem unless we raise taxes across the board and go back to what bill clinton have. >> some liberals pushed the president to raise the debt ceiling himself, claiming he has executive power through the 14th amendment. jay carney reveals today the white house studied that, does not believe the president has the power. that means we are headed for another major showdown with congress over the debt ceilin ceiling. >> bret: more with the panel. ed henry, thank you. republicans are losing one of the most conservative voices on capitol hill. south carolina senator jim demint surprised a lot of people today when he announced he is leaving the senate.

but staying in washington to run the conservative heritage foundation think tank. he joins us tonight. >> great to be with you. >> bret: why are you doing it? >> if you look at the 2012 election, apparent that the conservatives need to do more to convince americans that ideas will make the lives better. unfortunately in the senate what we have to do is point out bad policy with the president. that is important job. my background is research and marketing to people. to leverage their assets to communicate to all americans we can make their lives bette better, this is a dream job for me. klitcally important. i don't think the republicans will win another national election unless conservatives convince americans the principles will work.

then libertarians and independents and democrats can embrace the conservative ideas if americans believe they're the real solutions. >> bret: what do you say to the constituents who say he was my guy? >> i am still that guy. what i have done like help elect good con seventive senators and stop bad things like earmarks is only because i've gone outside the senate to take the case to the american people to create pressure on the senate to do the right thing. i can do more at the hair tage foundation and that is what we plan to do. >> bret: to that point, i talked to you in september of 2010 about the senate and how it worked. take a listen to what you said back then. >> we don't have enough people standing up to stop spending. that drives the culture here. you could name a program we cut in your lifetime. we pile one program on after another.

a lot of them pass by the unanimous consent. when nobody is looking. if you say no, you get calls from nobody want who want that money. after a while, people say yes. the yes we can president, yes we can congress is destroying the country. we need more people mo who will say no to the expansive government and the debt. >> bret: you were one of the guys saying no. you said no this week. the conservatives say we're losing to the point, guys saying no on the floor. what do you say to that? >> we are leaving the senate better than i found it. now i'm next to marco rubio and pat toomey, ted cruz and jeff blake and the people i have gone out to work with the americans to elect. there are champions to do this for me. i want to cover them. i want to help them by going

to the american people. asking them to support people. when they say no. but also when they say yes to the right ideas. i'm in a more powerful position than single united states senator. i wouldn't feel good about leighing if we didn't have new bright young conservatives in the senate. but it's time that the con seventives take control of the message. let americans know what we can do to make their lives better. republicans haven't done that good of a job by a party doing that. >> we had thousands of e-mails after we broke news at 10:30 this morning. sheila is unof them who said what a disappointment. he cutting and running from the senate. we don't need senator demint at the heritage foundation. they are a think tank. they don't pass laws. senator demint is leaving the senate for his own

personal wealth. he is coward. he is standing with the observers not doers." >> i have given my life to this. i want to elevate what i'm doing. i can say in the senate. but i never intend to make it my career. i am looking for a place to make a difference. we won't win the hearts and mind of the american people if we leave things the way they are. we have to do more. heritage foundation is the most credible, research group in the country. they were my inspiration to run for office and they helped me develop a lot of policies i worked on. now they have heritage action. i hope in a year the critics say that is the right thing to do. we're changing things.

>> bret: let me ask about the negotiations. you have been critical of house speaker john boehner and what is on the table. what he put to the table, $800 billion of tax deduction and closing loopholes already. what do you say to people who say listen, the president won re-election. the republicans have to do something to get a deal? >> we don't have a revenue problem. government doesn't need to take more money out of the economy to give stoit incompetent politicians and bureaucrats. that won't make the middle class or anybody better off.

look at obama's policies played out at the state level, greece, all over the world. there is no place they are working or have ever worked. but you can point to states where governor like scott walker or john kasich or rick scott are employing the conservative principles and they are attracting businesses and creating jobs. o'reilly did a great segment comparing texas and california. that is what i want to do with heritage, showcase successes we are having. to republicans concede we need more revenue in the context of not reforming entitlement or the tax code and the president wants a blank check to borrowone future, that is nuts. we should not negotiate with ourselves. stand our ground and we have a power majority in the house. the idea of the fiscal cliff -- >> bret: democrats say the argument was made in the election. won on their side. >> it didn't win in south

carolina or the majority of the states. republicans elected won those elections running on the limited government and less taxes. they shouldn't give in to that. principle is wrong and the president doesn't have a serious plan. his idea of raising taxes will run it for a few days. it's a political trophy to the left. we need to do what is good for america despite what he has been able to sell the media. taxing the rich is not going to help the middle class. >> bret: are you going to run for president? >> guest: i am president of the heritage foundation and that is the job i want. >> bret: senator, thank you very much. good luck. >> bret, thank you. >> bret: still ahead -- it's not every day you see an 81-year-old former senator dancing gangnam style. we'll talk with alan simpson about his unique approach to fiscal sanity. up next, is syria's president dancing with the del preparing chemical weapons? -- devil by preparing chemical weapons? ve kiwis. i've always had that issue with the seeds getting under my denture.

super poligrip free -- it creates a seal of the dentures in my mouth. even well-fitting dentures let in food particles. super poligrip is zinc free. with just a few dabs, it's clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. super poligrip free made the kiwi an enjoyable experience. [ charlie ] try zinc free super poligrip.

>> bret: egypt's president went on national tv today to defend his perceived power grab. warn against any attempt to overthrow his government. mohammed morsi is calling for a national dialogue with the opposition this weekend. he also accused some opposition members working with mubarak regime. potential for more death in syria on a larger scale is growing tonight. chief washington correspondent james rosen has disturbing news about weapons of mass destructions. >> a regime helicopter calltured in the skies above syria in the unverified amateur video unloadss something. likely a defensive flare. but the moment epitomizes the threat of nuclear weapons that the syrian people now live. rebel forces are now taking the fight directly to the assad regime inside the capital damascus with a deadly explosion near the arab red crescent building and pitch

battles for key airfields outside the city. >> it is clear regime forces are being grounded down and they are losing. >> president bashar assad already killed estimated 40,000 people. president obama top aids will fear the fighting take on gruesome character. >> we remained very concerned. very concerned. as the opposition advances on damascus. that the regime might very well consider the use of chemical weapons. >> indeed, the senior officials confirm that syrian technicians mixed unknown quantity of the nerve agent seron and loaded on what officials believe are breakable canisters, aerosol form to be dropped from above. in dublin, secretary of state clinton met twice with the russian foreign minister.

the russian dumah leader close to vladimir putin told interfax, "we have shared and do share the opinion the existing government in syria should carry out the function time has shown that the task is beyond its strength. >> it's now up to the russians to do everything possible and maximize influence over bashar assad to make sure that he does not use the weapons. >> it's good to hear that the countrys are trying to find a way to get him out. >> whether assad would accept negotiating settlement that includes asylum in another country is not clear. they told a station that he is 100% sure that sadded is will never ever leigh syria. >> bret: james rosen, thank you. more bad economic news for europe. central bank cut its forecast for economic growth next year from plus half percentage point to minus . .3 of a

point. greece's unemployment rate rose to 26% in september. at home, wall street had a good day. the s&p 500 was up five. nasdaq finished up 15.5. coming up shortly, alan simpson on what motives 81-year-old senator has to dance gangnam style now. that president obama has been re-elected is he going to wage a war on coal? initiated. neural speeds increasing to 4g lte.

brain upgrading to a quad-core processor. predictive intelligence with google now complete. introducing droid dna by htc. it's not an upgrade to your phone. it's an upgrade to yourself. [ male announcer ] it started long ago. the joy of giving something everything you've got. it takes passion. and it's not letting up anytime soon. at unitedhealthcare insurance company, we understand that commitment. and always have. so does aarp, an organization serving the needs of americans 50 and over for generations. so it's no surprise millions have chosen an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, they help cover some of the expenses medicare doesn't pay. and save you up to thousands in out-of-pocket costs. to find out more, request your free decision guide.

call or go online today. after all, when you're going the distance, it's nice to have the experience and commitment to go along with you. keep dreaming. keep doing. go long.

four. three. two. one. [ applause ] >> bret: there you have it. we are officially in holiday mode in washington. short time ago, president obama and his family kicked things off with the lighting of the national christmas

tree. ve a new tree this year -- we have a new tree. 28-foot blue spruce. gorgeous. two nights ago the capital christmas tree lit by the house speaker john boehner. this one, of course, via the first family in front of the white house. maybe we should have a fiscal cliff tree, they could both light together. of course, it takes electricity to keep the trees and the lights burning. now that the aelection is over new attention is paid to what president obama will do about energy, climate change and carbon emissions. here is correspondent shannon bream. >> they brought hundreds of millions in his re-election campaign. on the night of his re-election, president obama vowed to further interest of the environmentalist activist group that backed him. >> live in america that isn't burdened by debt or weakened by inequality. that isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet. >> congress was both democrats

and the republicans succes successfully fought efforts to pass cap and trade for years to set limit and fees for polluting industries but a number of lawmakers are sounding alarm about what they see as the president effort to reign in domestic production by doing an end run around capitol hill. >> president couldn't do it through legislation. now it's through the regulation to use tax dollars to make it happen. >> environmental activist says the president is doing his job. >> he understands that increased drought, record heat, wildfires, storms like sandy that killed 100 americans did $100 billion worth of damage. put 14 feet of water in lower manhattan. that never happened before. so this president understands this is a threat and we need to do something about it. >> it makes no sense when washington is in a real crisis. >> all of the attention today in washington is on the looming fiscal cliff.

president obama administration is quietly handing over billions of dollars to the united nations in the name of global warming. >> that was the opening salvo of a recorded message that was sent to qatar where they joined 200 countries around the world this week at a united nations climate issue summit. negotiations continue regarding a large scale climate treaty to be signed by 2015. while the u.s. senate would have to ratify any international treaty by two-third vote, inhalf says he and others are more concerned about the domestic regulations. he continued to press white house about why the administration failed to issue reports on pending regulations in april and october as required by law. the white house wouldn't explain the last to us, the source says the federal agencies are in the process of pulling together that information. bret? >> bret: thank you. there are a lot of extremely happy people in washington state tonight at the stroke of midnight, hundreds lit up under the seattle space needl

needle. recreational marijuana use became legal. washington and colorado became the first state to vote to decriminalize pot use last month. midnight also brought the first marriage licenses for gay couples in washington state. hundreds lined up wednesday evening following last month's approval by popular vote. marriage ceremonies can begin sunday. no grapevine tonight so we can bring you special interview with a self-described old dog with new tricks. to get us off the fiscal cliff. ú0

>> bret: you know him from almost 20 years in the senate. his name is part of the frequently referenced simpson-bowles deficit reduction commission. now he is getting another star turn in an unusual appeal for fiscal sanity gangnam style. senator simpson, thank you for being with us. >> you bet. >> bret: we'd be remiss if we didn't start with this. ♪ ♪ >> bret: what provoked you to do the gangnam style dance? >> it's called the love of young people. the kikos back struggling young guys who have to start taking part or get taken apart. the senior citizens of the

country guarded by the aarp are going to empty the treasury. i rip in the aarp. i mean to. but they're not -- upper echelon of their people, they are not patriots. they're marketers. they're just selling stuff. no kids organization can match them. so here comes the can kicks back. they say quit kicking the can down the road. because we're going to get stuck. boy, are they. they will carry a burden of debt. we only owe $16 trillion. so nothing to count on. so they asked me to come and do that. so they put it on. i saw this guy, i couldn't understand anything. they said well, he's korean. you would about get it. i wouldn't get it if it were in english. they said here is what he's doing. then the guy on the can, ryan, he said do this. do this. i said that looks like riding a horse and throwing a laso. i can do that. i made a perfect ass of

myself. which is glorious. >> bret: got a lot of attention. got a lot of attention. what is also getting a lot of attention as you know are the fiscal cliff negotiations which don't seem to be negotiations in washington. here is what bill clinton said about that to the "sacramento bee." the american people are going to be sick when they watch news reports on the negotiations. they said not to worry. it's likebe two dogs that meet each other over piece of meat. sniffing each other out, moving toward a deal. that is what is going on. do you agree with that? >> guest: oh, yeah. bill clinton, you don't have to agree with bill clinton but if anybody knows the game of politics, the only way to get something done is shut the door, while the media shrieking that things are done in secret. let me tell you, the toughest part of leadership is be in a room for exhaustion period of time. and saying guys, will you shut up when you leigh here, because i think we are getting

close. out the door they go an then suddenly there is a light from a television camera. and then two or three of those guys just like a giant moth just go over to it. what went on in there? well, i had to leig leave becaue they were falking about a tax increase. god bless him. the other guy said i had to leigh because they talk about doing something with precious entitlements. thank god you did. it's b.s. and vagary and tragic. >> bret: what do you think will happen? you know the deal here. you know what is going on. what do you think is going to happen? >> guest: i hope i don't see anything more like statement of leadership on both sides that say i think if we go over the fiscal cliff it will help the democrats. the other side said i think if we go over the fiscal cliff it will help republicans. that would be stupid. absolutely stupid.

if you care more about your party than your country, we will never make it. so you get in there and you do that negotiation. you know damn well, if anybody doesn't think taxes are going to go up for the rich, the drinks are on me. anybody with a brain knows that this guy, obama, that is his only insistence. but no someone favor -- go look at the tax code. that is what we spent eight months doing. looking at this code. in there is $1,100 ,000,000 of tax expenditures, tax earmarks spending by any other name. guess what? 20% of the american people use 80% of it. who do you think that is? that is you and me and the guys with money. only 27% of the american people itemize. that means three-quarters of the american people never heard of those goodies. so if you want to get something from the rich, just go in to the tax code and start ripping.

you don't have to call at it tax increase. it will take time to do. that is where you get your scratch. >> bret: there is so much talk about taxes but little talk about spending or cut to spending. george will wrote spending the main culprit because the federal revenue is $2.6 # trillion. spending is $3.76 trillion. we're spending $987 billion more than we would be if we increased bill clinton's last budget for inflation. and population growth. >> you can't tax your way out of this hole or grow your way out of the hole and get double digit growth for 20 years. you can't cut spending out of the hole either. you to have a blend. i agree with is that totally. there is so much -- let me tell you. look at the defense department. i love the sakerethness of that with my party.

let me tell you, we dug in to that. how many contractors do you have in the defense department? it's a range. what is it? between a million and 10 million contractors. 200, $300 an hour guy. retired military to go in and work. eisenhower was right. watch out for the industrial military complex. >> bret: senator, simpson, where do you put the odds that a deal is done before the end of the year do avoid the self-imposed fiscal cliff? >> you used one word in your remark. self. civillish will become the essence. the horrible part, they will think it's an advantage to them. president will think it's advantage to him and it will be chaos. $7.2 million floating around. between now and december 31. go too far. throw it in recession. do too little, throw it in recession. at some point, a group of

people you and i have never heard of called the markets will step in and say you guys are jerks. dysfunctional. you can't move. you are insent. silly. stupid. but you love money because you owe $16 trillion of it. you borrow, overborrow what comes in and goes out. we want more money for our money. the gu screwed is the -- the guy screwed is the little guy. who is kidding who? >> i don't think a lot of people are dancing if that happens. but we enjoyed you, watching you. >> i didn't enjoy it. but it was fun. it hurt my knee. >> bret: senator simpson, thank you for coming in today. >> thank you, bret. >> so will simpson's appeal do any good? we talk about the fiscal cliff when the fox all-stars join me next.

there is no mass-produced human. so we created the extraordinarily comfortable sleep number experience.

around a bed with dualair technology that allows you to adjust to the support your body needs - each of your bodies. our sleep professionals will help you find your sleep number setting. exclusively at a sleep number store. sleep number. comfort individualized. this holiday season, give the gift that's magical: the innovative airfit adjustable pillow at special 30% savings.

to be clear, i am in the going sign any package that presents the top rate from going up for folks at the top 2%. but i do remain optimistic that we can get something done. >> what the president really interested in, as we learn just yesterday, is getting as much taxpayer money as he can first by raising taxes on small business, that he believes are making too much money. then on everybody else. not to lower the debt or the deficit but so he can spend until his heart is content. >> well, the president and the white house continue to talk about taxes. specifically about raising rates for high earners. not talking about the spending cuts. republicans want to focus on that. obviously. as the negotiations move forward. let's bring in the panel. on the fiscal cliff.

judge andrew napolitano. fox news senior judicial analyst. juan williams, columnist with tannehill. byron york from the "washington examiner." judge, what do you make of this? we had back and forth and we talk about this every day. every day there are developments. >> the president insistence on raising tax rate is reprehensible and violates economics 101. raising tax rates will not necessarily produce more revenue. the president is more interested to punish the rich and perceived reward for base. doesn't put more money in the federal treasury. the republicans give in to this in spirit of compromise, i respect alan simpson. but this is a time for the republicans to say no to spending no, borrowing. no to taxes. do you any any republicans sent to congress to facilitate

the president spending to us oblivion? they no. or they will be sent home. >> president feels like he was elected on a campaign where he mentioned on the stump many times, raising tax rates. >> i understand that. >> but under our system the congress writes the law and president enforces them. if they don't go along with the law that the president wants it won't become the law. then we won't let him borrow more and he can't spend more than what the treasury collects. it's forced to reduce spen spending. that is the only way to get the house in order. >> over the cliff. >> over the cliff. >> juan? >> i hope not. i don't think it's good for most of america. it could be damage for economy struggling to recover. takes us further down the road

for what i think is the news of the day. argument over the debt ceiling today. that is one point of the republican lench in the dole. some machiavellian misstep made. he wanted the democrats to be embarrassed. and have to force a vote and propose it. reed said go ahead. put them in position to filibuster. to speak to the judge's point, if people stand here and simply say no to the idea of raising the tax rates on the republican side, it will damage the republican brand. the republicans have to get the best possible deal. in the spirit of the president's problem and he was intent on spending. not on cutting spending. but on taxes. that is how you use the president's position against

him. to say no goes to bevy of polls that show republicans have the lion's share. >> bret: isn't that fair to say the president hasn't poe cussed at owl on cutting spending? the white house says they agreed to a $1 trillion in discretionary spending cuts. proposal to achieve $600 billion in saving from the entitle in the the budget but hasn't focused on the spending cut. >> so far it's just promises. from the republican perspective, he wants to spend additional stimulus money. that poisons the atmosphere. the answer to the question is he has said we want to cut spending. we're going to look, especially at medicare. social security is not on the table. he will look at this and the other issues. >> republicans feel bad right now. it's just the fact that i spoke to a senior house republican who said that if we the president beat good deal

in 2011 after we won 63 house 6s in house and what are we going do now? they are reduced to the hope that obama overreach and overplayed his hand. stuff on the debt ceiling irritated him. he demanded he had unilateral control -- >> eternity. >> it was a huge overreach. something they could point to. that said the president is going beyond what he campaigned on. in terms of the result, republicans said to me it's hard to envision ultimate scenario in which tax rates for the top bracket don't go up. >> bret: constitutionally, judge, the debt ceiling and that limit, that vote, has to -- >> it those be a vote. a vote by the congress since they began borrowing money in the wilson administration. no president argued or triggered borrowing money

without approval from the congress. a statute. if the president attempted to borrow money, any member of congress can go to a federal judge and get them enjoyed in an hour. >> bret: do you think it should be part of the negotiation? part of the republicans' leverage? >> you are talking to somebody who believes that the government should not borrow any money under any circumstances unless it were necessary to preserve the republic; such as, world war ii. >> but obama's overreach is one thing and whether the republicans can use the debt ceiling when it come up in february or march, when it comes up. that is another thing they are divided on. that is another area republicans take a big beating. >> bret: republican wants it done before the fiscal cliff. >> i think they want to separate it out. >> let me add in here, judge, to your point that no congress has ever used the fiscal

cliff. usual through debt ceiling as a bargaining point, which is what happened last year. this never dealt with. >> what would happen if the congress said no? the president would be forced to operate the federal government in money available to him. >> nobody said that to ronald reagan or the first george busher second george bush. >> democrats voted against raising the debt ceiling. >> but nobody has ever, ever stopped it and made it a point of then fiscal negotiation. only happened once. >> we have never been in treacherous, perilous fiscal circumstances as today. >> bret: top senate republican calling it quits was here on the set with us. the all-stars weigh in on that. surprising development next. initiated. neural speeds increasing to 4g lte.

brain upgrading to a quad-core processor. predictive intelligence with google now complete. introducing droid dna by htc. it's not an upgrade to your phone. it's an upgrade to yourself. [ female announcer ] some people like to pretend a flood could never happen to them. and that their homeowners insurance protects them. [ thunder crashes ] it doesn't. stop pretending. only flood insurance covers floods. ♪ visit floodsmart.gov/pretend to learn your risk.

the re-election of president obama was a very clear message that we need to do more as conservatives to convince 100% of americans that our ideas are going to help them in their futures. i honestly believe i can do more on the outside than i can on the inside. >> bret: senator demint said as much here on set. leaving the senate in january. so, south carolina governor nikki haley will appoint a successor there. actually, representative tim scott is the favorite there. representative from charleston to succeed demint. we don't know who the governor will choose. but why demint left and going to the heritage foundation is an interesting surprising choice. we're back with the panel. byron, it shocked people in town. >> it shocked me. >> this is what happens when parties lose. and it doesn't look good. they picked up all the seats in the senate in 2010.

went backward in 2012. doesn't look great going forward. some of the leading lights then start looking at other things. this is certainly the case with demint. i asked him after your interview here, i asked him, look, would you done this if republicans had won control of the senate? he said if we controlled the senate and romney were president, it would be a different question altogether. >> bret: juan, you know, some people were critical. saying he did it for the money. you know, leaving the senate. and byron saying being in the minority is a bummer. others say this is a brilliant move. he can influence the party. eric said minut demint's power increased immensely. >> bret: do you agree with that?

>> it's true. by taking over heritage he has now access to money in terms of the major donors to the party if a way that could be critical to defining the future of the party and people who are seeking power to idea of heritage, for the conservative movement. also, i think that, you know, the tea party, which i think is struggling right now. they like jim demint. they are going to listen to jim demint. jim demint has positioned himself acutely here. the question for me, this is what byron was talking about. i'm surprised you would give up power with an elected seat in the senate. they don't come along often. the idea that mr. scott might get, a black republican, the only black person in senate, phenomenal step, too. we'll see how it plays out. it's a shock. i think to everybody. that jim demint would voluntarily leigh the senate of the united states. >> bret: judge? >> i was surprised as juan and byron were and you and people watching. i agree with eric and byron.

jim demint is a classic, traditional, barry goldwater, ronald reagan conservative republican. not the george bush compassionate conservative. he believes the states have a role in government. that the individual is greater than the state. that the government should shrink. he is now the most powerful republican in town. he has an extraordinary opportunity. this is not inside the beltway story. this is a jim demint is the leader of the conservative republicans in the country story. and they could haven't a nicer, more true to core values or more articulate spokesman than they have as of today. ask me if i'm happy. [ laughter ] >> bret: do you think he is using the platform to possibly run for president? >> well, i know he gave you that very typical humble and diplomatic answer. but i think a lot of people when they learn of his views

and ability to articulate them will come to him. and ask him to run for president. he also will do something that very few other republicans will do. bring the libertarians back in the republican party. he understands the enormous number of them between 5-10 million. depending what poll you look at. how many votes you calculate. he embraces a lot of views that the libertarians embrace as well. >> bret: do you agree with juan that the tea party influenced diminished significantly? >> because john boehner is ai afraid of them. he kicked them off the important committees. but heartland, republican votersuance real republicans not middle of the road compromisers. jim demint is real republican. >> this is a non-carolina things to do. thurman served a million years in the senate. matthews until he was 100 years old. shocking thing for him the do. as far as the succession is concerned, i have been told today that jim demint asked

governor haley specifically to appoint tim scott as the successor. just a few minutes ago he said no, i didn't. it didn't do it. >> bret: he wouldn't talk about it. that's why i didn't ask him. >> talked about the congressional delegation. he wants the successor from the current republican congressional delegation. but i think there is a lot of momentum building already for tim scott. >> bret: that is it for the panel. stave tuned to see who is challenging justin bieber for twitter supremacy. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] campbell's green bean casserole. it's amazing what soup can do

>> bret: finally tonight there is a new loomary on twitter pope benedict already has more than half a million followers. we heard that he will officially start tweeting on the twitter handle at ponifacts next week. apparently he may have already begun. >> the pope now on twitter. his